Making international education affordable to Filipino families
When it comes to parenting, we all have our own styles and techniques. But while every approach can be quite distinct across each family, there is probably one thing us parents all have in common: we all want to see our children succeed. We all want to see the next generation soar higher than we did.
I believe that to be an undeniable fact, and my belief is reinforced by the thousands of encounters and interviews I've had during my work in Bantay Bata 163. When parents and guardians were asked what motivated them the most to escape their unfortunate situation, the prevailing answer was the well-being, the safety, and the future of their children.
Education stands as the cornerstone of this collective vision for our children, the foundation that they can build their future on. In this pursuit, I’ve noticed that there has been an increasing number of parents who are looking towards international education, recognizing its pivotal role in shaping students into global citizens poised for success.
Building bridges for the learning journey
But the allure of international education is often accompanied by challenges, both logistical and financial, that can quickly deter aspiring students and their families. It is, however, encouraging to know that there are people and institutions that are working to extend the opportunity to study abroad to more Filipinos.
I’ve come to find out that one of the leading institutions in this sector, both as a beacon of accessibility and innovation, is Thames International. Since its beginnings in 1999, Thames has since made its name as one of the top choices for international schools in the country.
It’s also heartening to know that Thames is led by one of my good friends, its co-founder and president Joel Santos, whom I’ve known since my days in Ateneo. When it comes to leaders and experts in the education sector, only few can match Joel as a passionate and dedicated visionary.
I know this, and I’m sure many in public and private education would say the same, as Joel is one of the country’s most active advocates for high-quality learning. He has been, in fact, instrumental to our government in crafting initiatives and policies centered in raising the quality of education in the Philippines. Just this April, he was appointed Country Chair of the UNESCO Entrepreneurs Educators Network (EE-Net) Philippine Chapter. Thames is the country secretariat of UNESCO EE-Net.
According to Joel, Thames’ mission and his personal advocacy is “to help more Filipinos afford to study abroad. This way, they can reap its benefits and help our students become future leaders in the 21st century environment.”
Some notable names among Thames’ graduates are PJ Castro, co-founder of Fintech company JustPayTo, Blake Go, CEO of Prince Warehouse Club in Cebu, Shaina Darmawan, Bayer’s Country Division Head for Consumer Health, and Mikko Vergara, Head of Equities and Global Funds of Sun Life Investment Management and Trust Company.
And beyond Thames’ stellar alumni, Joel also cited a study revealing that 36% of the top CEOs in Forbes Global 2000 were products of international education.
Global education within reach
Thames, according to Joel, is his “ambag” or his contribution to our collective dream of making international education within reach of any Filipino student. The vision, he shared with me once, was to be a gateway to boundless opportunities for children, and to provide parents with a sound choice in investing in the future of their children.
Thames achieves this through its 2+2 Global Degree Transfer Program – students begin their education journey at Thames, which prepares for two years before they transfer to any of its 12 partner universities in the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland, Singapore, and Australia. Beyond simplifying the academic journey, this program affords families a manageable roadmap for financial planning, making the dream of international education possible to more families.
Joel shared that their mission to be more accessible continues its progress. In the spirit of this goal and in commemoration of its 25th year anniversary, the institution, alongside its esteemed partner universities, is introducing partial tuition fee scholarships. They are now offering this for as low as $5000 a year, matching some of the top private institutes in the country.
Better education leads to brighter hopes
I hope to clarify that despite what I have learned about Thames, I am not subscribed to the notion that international schooling is explicitly superior to studying in the Philippines – that is an inaccurate generalization of our schools and our educational system. I am simply speaking from my perspective as a children’s advocate, where I always find it commendable to see people and groups working to ensure that all paths of learning are open to more and more Filipinos.
Brilliant students, given the right opportunities and guided by the right teachers, will eventually be our answers to a future full of uncertainties. They are the same people who would go on to take us further through nation-building, finding solutions to pressing issues, and uplift our marginalized communities.
It can be both intimidating and compelling to know that it all starts with the choices we make as parents. But when we find partners in shaping our children in institutions like Thames, then the future begins to look brighter.
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